Our Best in Bedding event at the recent Las Vegas Market provided a master class in retail excellence. Three keys emerged from that program: culture, collaboration and a willingness to embrace change. Call them the Three C’s.
Successful retailers have built cultures of caring for their customers, and they have collaborated with their manufacturing partners to deliver superior shopping experiences. They have also changed with changing markets.
Our keynote speaker and Bedding Legend winner, City Home Chairman Keith Koenig, personifies retail excellence and delivered a succinct, powerful message about the importance of running a thrifty, resilient business, one able to embrace change. I highlighted his comments here a few weeks ago.
This week I want to spotlight another key to his success, the culture he created.
Shawn Slattery, senior vice president of sales for Serta Simmons Bedding, shared some thoughts on that culture with me.
“Throughout his career,” Slattery said, “Keith has built more than a successful business — he has created a culture at City Furniture, now evolving into City Home, that is rooted in treating guests, employees and supplier partners like family. Keith and his team have consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with purpose, combining innovation, operational excellence and a deep commitment to the communities they serve. Their generosity and positive impact extend far beyond the home furnishings industry and throughout Florida. We are proud to be associated with City Home and grateful for the partnership we’ve built over the years. Keith’s leadership has helped shape our industry for the better.”
That’s spot on. Keith Koenig has helped build a better industry. While some retailers are secretive, unwilling to talk about their businesses, Koenig is always willing to share his story and his passion for the noble calling of retail.
A culture of caring has also been a hallmark of success for Long’s Bedding & Interiors, the New York sleep shop we saluted as the Best in Bedding in the Northeast.
Richard Fleck, president of Paramount Sleep, a key vendor, notes how Long’s creates a “pleasant, caring and relaxed shopping experience, one with no pressure. Long’s is focused on problem solving rather than a simply transactional approach. The retailer demonstrates true hospitality. The sales team really cares about their customers. The company treats every customer like family.”
Broad River Retail, our Best in Bedding winner in the Southeast, also stands out with a unique culture.
“Broad River has built a culture that recognizes sleep as a life-enhancing experience, not a transaction,” said Eugene Alletto, CEO of Bedgear, a key vendor.
Frank Hood, CEO of Kingsdown, talks about the positive way his company works with HOM Furniture, our Best in Bedding winner in the Midwest. “We are especially grateful for the collaboration and vision of Dan Murphy, whose leadership helped bring this partnership to life,” he said. “What stands out most about the HOM team is their kindness, commitment and deep connection to the communities they serve.”
Hood also cites a strong collaboration with Sit ‘n Sleep, our Best in Bedding retailer in the West, noting how Kingsdown and the retailer partnered to let customers experience the Kingsdown BedMatch system as a key part of their shopping journey. “Working alongside the Sit ‘n Sleep team you are treated like family,” he said. “That’s a rare thing in this industry, and it’s exactly the kind of partnership that makes the work worthwhile.”
Successful retailers must also be able to navigate dramatic changes in the marketplace. 3Z Brands, our Best in Bedding winner in the Southwest, embodies that point. John Merwin built his company from the ground up, leveraging his retail and manufacturing expertise to create a powerful vertically integrated business that maximizes bricks and clicks.
“At a time when the bedding industry is facing significant headwinds, 3Z has demonstrated the ability to align manufacturing, brand building and distribution in ways that have fueled remarkable results,” said Mike Magnuson, the CEO of GoodBed, a leading provider of independent mattress testing, ratings and product intelligence.
Congratulations to our Best in Bedding winners. Thanks for laying out a roadmap to retail success.
